Tennis growing as a popular sport in Moncton, says group

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Tennis Moncton is looking to step it up a notch. The organization is looking to transform into the Moncton Tennis Association and will hold their very first meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Centennial Park Tennis Club House (Centennial Drive).

"This is sort of a new development," said John Pearson, current program director for Tennis Moncton. "We're talking to a new level. This is just a way of the club showing a little more independence."

So far, Tennis Moncton has had successes with heightening the sport of tennis within the local community, with Pearson giving a lot of credit to the City of Moncton.

"They've helped us with the new facility, new lighting, and they helped us with the Pro Challenger in July," he said.

Local organizers teamed up with Tennis New Brunswick, Tennis Canada, and the Association of Tennis Professionals to bring close to 50 professional tennis players from around the world to compete for a $35,000 prize, during the first-ever professional tennis tournament to be held in New Brunswick. Pearson said such events prove the city is developing into a strong tennis loving community.

With plans of becoming the Moncton Tennis Association, the goal is to further cement the sport into the community at large. Local high schools already teach and promote tennis through their physical education programs and the association would like to see that grow.

"It's going to be more community tennis outreach," said Pearson. "We also have a really good committee of volunteers and we would like that to continue."

As Moncton grows it's own reputation in the sport, other locales are looking to Moncton to see where it's going on the tennis route, said Pearson.

"Places like Halifax and Prince Edward Island are looking at our courts as the ones they'd like to copy."

n For more information on Tennis Moncton, visit www.tennismoncton.ca